Smart-UPS RT 15000 XL Error:"The battery power is too low to support the load" AFTER SelftTest

[Anonymous user]

After the first Self test, the UPS sends email alerts every 2 minutes:

1 Critical Alarm Present 

• The battery power is too low to support the load; if power fails, the UPS will be shut down immediately.

I've already restarted a management card but the error is still shown via web interface(network management card).

But the "fault" LED is OFF on the APC Smart-UPS.

Any thoughts ?

p.s.

I opened a support case 3 days ago.. but APC support seems to be very very slow 😞 may be somebody in community can help me, before I get an answer from apc support.

[BillP]

Hello

It is likely that perhaps the UPS batteries are failing or that you have changed a setting that causes this. I can explain more when you provide the log files from the UPS Network Management Card. If anything, this message comes from the UPS, not the management card - the management card is just telling you what the UPS reported.

A few questions:

• Please provide log files - config.ini, event.txt, data.txt - instructions here -> How can I download Event, Data, Configuration, and Debug files from my Network Management Card? | FA...
• What is the total reported UPS runtime in the Network Management Card?
• How old are the batteries/UPS? (the fix six characters of the UPS serial number can help confirm this)

[Anonymous user]

The ups was bought in Dec.2013. The ups and the batteries are new.

Runtime Remaining: 21min.

I've generated a Debug/Logs file. where can I upload it?

[Anonymous user]

config.ini

data.txt

event.txt

[BillP]

I don't really need the debug logs but I'll take it. You can click "use advanced editor" on your reply window here on the community and it will allow you to upload attachments.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Ok, so I still need to know your available runtime on the UPS? I bet it is 22 minutes or less. Can you confirm? According to the data log, you also have between a 40-50% load across your three phases.

I ask because I see that in your config.ini, you have LowBatteryDuration=20 which indicates someone has changed the "low battery duration" or the amount of runtime when the UPS declares it has a low battery to 20 minutes. The UPS is trying to tell you if you have a power outage, it is going to immediately declare a "low battery" and force everything to shutdown (like PowerChute clients) while it runs for the 20 minute duration. The default for this setting is 2 minutes so someone changed it and we need to find out why or understand so we can determine if it was in error or not. But, it is causing the alarm.

[Anonymous user]

You was right!

I changed the LowBatteryDuration to 2 min. and it solved the issue! I don't have any Errors any more!

I really appreciate your help!

The available runtime on this UPS = 21min.

[Anonymous user]

I changed it, I wanted the UPS not to shutdown itself for 20minutes, if I get a power outage.

I think I missunderstood this Settings.. what does it mean exactly?

[BillP]

Do you know why you changed it though? It could affect something else.

[BillP]

The setting defines when the UPS declares a low battery to attached devices running PowerChute software. So, the UPS will always run the entire time (about 20 minutes in your case) and then turn off. The only time it may shut down earlier is if you were using PowerChute Network Shutdown clients and they received the signal from the UPS Management Card at the 20 minute mark. The UPS will continue to run and PowerChute will begin its shutdown progress and shut down your server or whatever is running PowerChute. The user has the option in PowerChute to tell the UPS to turn off after it is done shutting down and if your server only takes 3 minutes to shutdown, it could potentially shutdown earlier than the 20 minutes.

Basically, if you don't use PowerChute, you can leave it at 2 minutes.